The Facade
by KingNidoking
Summary: A description of various events through the eyes of a Pokemon.


Awake. I looked around. Ahead of me I saw a being. Teenager. How typical. He threw a small, red and white sphere up in the air. The sphere opened up, discharging a red beam, which shaped itself into a creature. The beam withdrew into the sphere, which returned to the adolescent's hand.  
  
"An Absol?" A voice said. I turned my head. Behind me stood another adolescent.  
  
It was Matt. I belong to him. It didn't take me long to realize the obvious. I was in yet another of his irritating battles.  
  
I don't like fighting, it's not my nature - but that's just how the world works. We are trained to fight, that's how it's been for many lifetimes. Life. the ethics of it puzzles both humans and us. It is the greatest mystery in our universe. But there's no time to discuss that now.  
  
"Mermur, use your Calm Mind attack!" That was Matt. As I mentioned before, I am obliged to obey his commands. It takes a great deal of concentration to use Calm Mind, and only skilled Pokemon can achieve that attentiveness. I closed my eyes - that usually helps. A sudden surge of peace is overcoming me. I feel my inner strength increasing.  
  
I opened my eyes. The scene hadn't changed, but I had. I was more... vigorous. I want to ensure that my owner is satisfied, but I don't know if I can risk turning my head. Never mind, it can wait. The teen standing a few paces ahead of me shouted a command at his Pokemon. The white furry creature growled and obliged immediately. It began charging. I braced myself. And then the inevitable happened - it abruptly disappeared. I looked around in confusion. I could sense the Pokemon's presence. It was getting nearer. I looked to the left - the air rippled. I didn't stand a chance. The Absol lunged out at me just barely after I noticed it was gone. I felt a searing pain in the place where I was hit. I was thrust to the ground. My hands, in reflex, placed themselves between the rough earth and myself. A succinct shockwave ran through my body, yet subdued quickly. I shook off the pain and pushed myself up.  
  
"A well executed Faint Attack," Matt said. "But it won't do any good. My Mermur is undefeatable." I usually didn't take my owner's arrogance too seriously. "Mermur - use your Surf attack!" I heaved a sigh. Once again, I need a certain quantity of concentration to conjure the tidal wave. I closed my eyes again, and focused. Then, it came. Massive quantities of water tore through the fabric of probability and poured out of thin air, washing the unimposing Absol away. The current propelled Absol into a tree, which snapped in half under the pressure of the water. As soon as it began, it was over. Absol, soaking wet, lay panting in the mud. It clearly took a certain amount of effort for it to get up. Its trainer ignored his Pokemon's suffering, and shouted an order.  
  
"Get back out there, we can still win this!" I shuddered in utter disgust. I found it extraordinary that some humans could be so revoltingly inconsiderate of other living creatures - to treat them as underlings and slaves. My trainer wasn't any better. He spent most of his time boasting and promoting himself that he rarely spent time with his own Pokemon. Most unfortunate. I glanced over at my opponent's trainer and glimpsed something out of the ordinary - he was smirking. Looking at the state of his Pokemon I found it difficult to realize why he was doing this. I turned to look at my trainer. He carried the same expression I did - a puzzled one.  
  
It came out of nowhere. I had no possible chance of escaping it. It was a sphere - as dark as oblivion and surrounded by an eerie purple aura. It burned its way through the forest at incredible speed, leaving behind a stench of burned ozone. I was on the floor. The pain was unbearable. I couldn't take it anymore - I had to scream! It was too much! I had to scream, it was too much pain! Too much suffering.!  
  
Awake. Where am I? Red-haired nurse. Medical equipment. I've been here before. Pokemon center. What had happened? I propped myself up. I feel some strange prickling feeling in my side. Interesting.  
  
"Your Mermur will be fine now, Matthew." The nurse said. I looked at my trainer. Despite his usual behavior, he had a genuinely concerned expression on his face, which relaxed into relief when the nurse spoke. I lay back in relief. Memories slowly poured into my head. I was in a battle, against an Absol. I was winning, when a peculiar Dark-type attack surprised me. I wonder what it was?  
  
"Wow Mermur, you sure got over that Stealth Attack quickly!"  
  
I suppose that answers my question. The nurse is nearing me now, holding something with a soothing and tranquil smell. It's food. Good, I'm starving. While inside our Pokeballs, we do not suffer from such unpretentious feelings as hunger, and pain. Only very severe injuries can affect us while inside a Pokeball. These provisions are outstanding. I glanced over at Matt to notice him rummaging through the inside of his jacket. From it he removed a small, red- and-white sphere. "Alright Mermur, time for some more rest." Before I could comply I was engulfed in an eerie red aura. And then - darkness.  
  
Awake. I've been here before, felt the cold, rough stones under my feet, inhaled the fresh mist of the gentle waterfall. This wasn't the time to take in the scenery, though; I had a task to do. Now where is my opponent? Ah, there he is, I can barely see him through the haze.  
  
My heart jumped as the intimidating Pokemon floated out of the mist. black as the night, brandishing a menacing, whip-like tail, the color of the sun, and thin, glowing-white slits for eyes. The dark creature was bearing a fearsome sword, slightly curved, its smooth metal surface glinting in the bright sunlight leaking in through the meager treetops.  
  
"Mermur," said Matt from a reasonable distance behind me. "Use Calm Mind!" Of course, what could I expect? I don't think I remember one battle in which Matt didn't start off with Calm Mind. Oh well, that's not my call, so I obliged. I closed my eyes, distancing myself from other distractions, and drowning out the other trainer's shouts to his fearsome Pokemon.  
  
It was pain like I've never felt before. Such a searing, stinging pain was something I'd never experienced before. I turned around just in time to see the dark Pokemon flash past me me, its sword held out parallel to the ground. My half-executed Calm Mind helped drain out the anguish, but it was no use, and I let out a shriek, a hair-raising, violent scream that echoed in the whole hollow. It took me a few minutes to pull myself back up; I'm clutching the wound, which will probably degrade my battling efficiency. Oh well, I have to try my best anyways.  
  
"Mermur, now Surf!" Matt showed no sign of concern in his voice. How characteristic of him. But I had no choice; I was obliged to battle for him. I concentrated my mind on the gallons of water, which at that moment came gushing out of nowhere, which collided into the murky Pokemon and washed it up on a large boulder near the small stream that came running out from the waterfall.  
  
"Kayder, get up!" The other trainer shouted. Ah, so it was a Kayder. I'd only heard stories of this fearsome fighter, who carries an indestructible blade and whose tail stings faster than an enraged Ninjask. I sincerely hope these stories aren't true. "Kayder, Cross Chop!" I truly didn't know what just happened until I collapsed on the floor and glimpsed the Pokemon rushing past me again, sword held aloft. And there it was, the searing, unbearable pain. I honestly tried my best to hold it in, but my mind was being drowned out as my nervous system went out of control. The pain was just too unbearable.  
  
It's at times like these that I begin to question life. It doesn't happen all the time, only when Matt puts me through this torture. What would have happened if another, kinder trainer would have caught me? Would he allow me to suffer like this right before his eyes? What if Matt suddenly changes and becomes a good person? Is there anybody out there who doesn't force his Pokemon to endure such pain, even if he isn't aware of it? And why does the world even work this way? Why can't we all just get along? The pain has dwindled, and so are the thoughts. I sometimes wonder if I should allow myself to undergo more pain, just to allow myself to think some more. I stayed lying on the soft grass. I craned my neck back a bit to take a glance at Kayder, who was holding his sword up high, panting, its eyes slit and glowing a menacing, penetrating glow. I refused to get up. It took Matt a few minutes to realize this, until finally he muttered the command.  
  
"Mermur, return." I felt that odd rushing feeling as I was engulfed in a red light and yanked back into the Pokeball. Back to peace and quiet at last. No more worries, and no more pain. 


End file.
